Control for airplanes



Dec. 7 1948. R, JAWSON 2,455,584

CONTROL FOR AIRPLANE S Filed 00 25, 1945 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Patented Dec.7, 1948 a 9 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,455,584; oon'mon FOR AInPLANEsCharles It. Jamison, Morgantown; W. Va.

" Application October 26, 1945, Serial No. 624,709

This invention relates generally to improvements in airplanes andpertains particularly to an improved control mechanism therefor.

A principal object of the present invention is the provision of auniversal control mechanism h which is so constructed that the operatormay effectually control the rudder, the elevators, and the ailerons bythe manipulation of a singlemovable unit or structure; with the handsalone, thus doing away with the necessity of usingthe feet l mighteasily get out of order and require frequent attention as to repairs andadjustments.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a control mechanismfor airplanes which embodies a single control stick and a wheel nt t ymeans of which the hands of the pilot may beused for effecting themanipulation of all of the different control elements of the plane whichare employed for governing the direction of movement of the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a unitary controlmechanism of the character above stated in which a hand steering wheelis mounted upon an arm pivotally supported upon the control stick sothat the wheel may beshifted or swung over from operating position infront of one pilots seat to operating position in front of an adjacentpilot's seat, the controlstick or shaft upon which the hand wheel issupported, being disposed in a plane passing between the seats. a

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description of the same proceeds and the invention willbe bestunderstood from a consideration of the following detailed descriptiontaken with the accompanying drawings forming a partof this application,with the understanding, however, that minor, changes may be made in thestructure so long as such changes do not depart materially from thesalient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings: i t

Figure 1 is a View in dotted outline of an airplane in side elevationshowing the placement Y5 Claims. (01. 244- 83) therein of the controlmechanism of the present invention,

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the control mechanism.

Figure 3 is a view showing, partly in elevation and partly in section,the control stick and parts immediately adjacent thereto. a 0

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 ofFigure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 ofFigure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings there is illustrated inFigure 1, in a conventional manner, one type of airplane in which thepresent control mechanism may be mounted. In this figure the body orfuselage is generally designated l0 and at the rear end of the body isthe usual rudder II and the pair of elevators l2, one only of which isshown. The numeral [3 generally designates the wing, at the rear ortrailing edge of which is pivotally mounted the aileron HI. One pilotsseat is shown and designated l5 and the control mechanism of thepresentinvention is mounted in a positionrelative to the pilots seatsso that apilot in either seat will-be able to conveniently operate the severalmovable parts of the plane structure by means of which the direction ofmovement of the structure is controlled.

In accordance with the present invention there are provided suitablebearing brackets or bearing units l6 which are mounted adjacent toopposite sides of the fuselage structure forwardly of the pilots seatsand uponany suitable part of the airplane frame.

In each of the bearing brackets Hi there is rotatably mounted one end ofa tubular trunnion |'I,these trunnions being alined transversely of thestructure as illustrated in Figure 2.

Located between and connecting the spaced opposed inner ends ofth'etubular trunnions I1 is a relatively flat wheel housing l8, the oppositevertical edges of which are providedwith the-out- Wardly directednipples I9, in each of which the adjacent end of a trunnion I1 is fixed,Thus it will be seen that the housing l8 and the trunnions H are joinedtogether as a unit and are oscillatable on an axis: extendingtransversely of the plane. v i

Q Mounted within the housing I8 for rotation upon the pivot 20, is apulley wheel 2 I, with which is integrally formedor connected in asuitable manner, the gear pinion 22. As shown the lower part of thehousing It extends below the trunnions l1 and the pivot 20 for thepulley wheel 2|. is placed below the axial center of oscillation for thehousing and trunnions, so that the periphery of the pulley wheel at thetop thereof will be substantially in line with the center of oscillationfor the trunnions.

' Above the pivot 20 there is rotatably supported within the housing,between the front and rear walls, the pivot pin 23. The rotary centersfor the pivots 20 and 23 are parallel and lie in a plane extendinglengthwise of the center of the plane body.

The top part of the wheel housing [8 is provided with the slot oropening 24 and extending from within the housing upwardly through thisopening 24 is the shank portion 25 of a gear segment 26. The pivot 23passes through the radial center of this gear segment and the teeth '2?thereof have toothed engagement with the gear pinion 22 so that uponoscillation of the gear segment on the pivot 23 turning movement will beimparted to the pulley wheel 2|.

The body portion of the gear segment and the shank thereof are of hollowform and disposed within the hollow portion of the gear segment is a.pulley wheel 28 which is freely rotatable upon the pivot 23 so that itmay be turned on the pivot without necessitating the oscillation of thegear segment.

"The upper or outer .end of the gear segment shank 25 has securedtherein the tubular column 29 which normally stands vertically andcarries upon its upper end the hollow head 30.

Within the head 30 is located the sprocket gears 31 which are coupledtogether and pivotally supported upon the pivot pin or axle 32 whichextends transversely of the head. This pivot axle is parallel with thepivots-23 and extending over one of the sprocket gears 3i and downwardlythrough the tubular column 29 into the hollow portion of 'the gearsegment 26, is a sprocket chain 33 which passes around the sprocket gear34 which is joined concentrically to the pulley wheel 28.

Pivota'lly supported upon the head 36 for oscillation around the :axisof the pivot pin 32 is the short column extension housing 35. Thishousing is coupled at one end with the head 30 to swing around the pivot32 as shown and in its outer or free end is *pivotally supported theshaft 36 upon which is carried, within the extension housing, thesprocket wheel or gear 3'! while one end of the shaft 36 which extendsoutside the extension housing and rearwardly therefrom, carries thesteering wheel .38.

Extending through the extension "housing 35 is the sprocket chain 39which connects together the gear 31 and one of the gears 31. By thismeans it will be seen that rotation of the hand wheel 38 will impartrotary movement to the pulley wheel 28 which wheel is connected with andcontrols the operation of the airplane rudders as hereinafter described;

At each side of the Wheel housing 18, each trunnion I! has formedtherein the rearwardly directed slots 40 and extending verticallythrough the trunnion and across the central part of ea'ch slot 40 is thepivot pin 44, the ends of which are suitably mounted in the walls of thetrunnions. Each pivot pin 4| carries a pulley wheel 42 and the pivotsfor these pulley wheels are so positioned that the periphery of thepulley wheel thereon has the center line or axis line of the trunnionpassing tangentially thereacross.

Attached to the pulley wheel 28 are rudder actuating cables 43, each ofwhich passes from the 'lower edge of the pulley wheel into one trunnionI! and around a pulley 42 outwardly through the adacent opening 4|] andtoward the rear of the airplane for connection with the rudder ll. Theserudder cables 43 pass partly around a pulley 28 and are secured theretoso that rotation of the pulley will impart positive movement to onecable to eiTect swinging of the rudder in one direction and suchswinging of the rudder will impart positive movement to the other cableto take up slack therein as it is released from the pulley.

Outwardly from each of the pulleys 42, each trunnion I! has extendingtransversely therethrough and pivotally supported therein, a pulleywheel pivot pin 44 upon which is mounted a pulley wheel 45. At eachpulley wheel 45 the trunnion H in which the wheel is housed, is slottedas indicated at 46 for the passage outwardly of an aileron control oractuating cable 47, which passes around the pulley 45 and axiallythrough the trunnion to the wheel housing l8 and to the periphery of thepulley wheel 2|, to which it is secured.

It will be readily apparent when the pulley wheel 2 is turned one of theaileron cables 41 will be wound up thereon and the other one will beunwound or payed out. This rotation of the pulley wheel 2| for theoperation of the ailerons is effected by oscillating the. column orstandard 29 transversely of the ship, that is, either to the right or tothe left of the pilot. a

As previously stated the trunnions H are mounted for turning movement inthe bearings l6. Thus the trunnions andtthe housing 'l8 may be turned onan axis extending transversely of the ship, by oscillating the standardor column 29 forwardly or rearwardly. ihis'action is 6111-- ployed forthe control of the elevators 12., and such control is had through themedium of the crank arm 48 which is secured to a trunnion H and hangsdownwardly therefrom. Such crank arm is connected at its lower end withthe ac tuating rod '49 which in turn is connected with the "crank 50which is attached to the pair of oppositely extending arms 5|. From theouter end of each of these arms a cable 52 is extended to an elevator.

It will be readily apparent that the standard 29 takes the place of theusual control stick and that such standard may be oscillated in eitherdirection from the vertical transversely of the plane or in eitherdirection from the vertical forwardly and rearwardly of the plane toeffect the actuation of the aileron and elevator cables and the elementsto which they are attached. By turning the hand wheel 38 the ruddermechanism is eifectively controlled. Thus it will be seen that when apilot is using the mechanism herein described he can readily shift ormove the rudders, ailerons or elevators entirely from the hand wheel 38and that no supplemental operating elements, designed to be controlledby thefeet, are required. V

In order to prevent the swinging of the column 29 too far in eitherdirection on the pivot 23, adjustable spring stops are provided in'theopposite sides or side edges of the housing. These stops each comprisesan adjustable pin or screw 53 threaded through the side edge wall of thehousing to the interior thereof and directed at its inner end toward theadjacent side of the gear segment 25. Between the inner end of each pin53 and the adjacent side of the "gear" segment, is a relatively or stiffspring 54 which constitutes a separating means between the adjacent sideor swung to the right or to the left but the springs i with the pins 53function to prevent the swinging of the gear segment to such an extentas to cause disconnection of the segment teeth from the teeth of thepinion gear.

I claim:

1. In an airplane having flight controlling units comprising a rudder,an elevator and ailerons, a relatively long tubular member supportedupon the airplane to extend transversely thereof and for turning on itslong axis, said tubular member including a housing intermediate itsends, a

normally upright column having one end extended into said housing, .apivotal connection between the said one end of the column and thehousing by which the column may be swung in a plane extendingtransversely of the airplane, turning movement being imparted to saidmemwith which it is tively long member supported upon and transverselyof the airplane for turning on its long axis, said member including ahousing, a, pair of Vertically spaced shafts supported within thehousing with their axes extending longitudinally of the airplane, a gearsegment supported upon the upper one of said shafts, a normally uprightcolumn secured to said gear segment and extending upwardlythrough andbeyond the top of the housing, the column and gear segment beingswingable upon the said upper shaft in a vertical ber by swingingmovement of the column in a plane extending longitudinally of theairplane, a pair of wheels rotatably supported within the housing, anoperative connection between one of the wheels and the lower end of saidcolumn by which turning movement is imparted to the said one of thewheels upon swinging of the column on its pivot in the plane extendingtransversely of the airplane, an operative coupling between the said oneof the wheels and one of the fiightcontrolling units for the actuationof the latter upon the turning of said one of the wheels, an operativecoupling between the other one of the wheels and another one of theflight controlling units for the operation of the last mentioned unitupon the turning of the said other wheel, means carried by the columnfor effecting the turning of the said other wheel, and an operativecoupling between the said member and the third one of the flightcontrolling units by which the last mentioned one of the units isactuated upon turning of the member on its long axis.

2. A mechanism of the character stated in claim 1, in which the saidmeans coupling the lower end of the column with the said one of thewheels, comprises a gear segment connected with said column and disposedwithin the housing, and a pinion connected concentrically with the saidone of the wheels and having toothed connection with said segment.

3. A mechanism of the character stated in claim 1, in which the saidmeans carried by'the column for imparting rotary motion to the other oneof the wheels comprises a relatively long hollow ex tension housingpivotally connected at one end with the other end of the column forswinging in a vertical plane on a pivot paralleling the pivotal axis onwhich the column swings transversely of plane extending transversely ofthe airplane, the column being swingable with and on the axis of themember in a vertical plane extending longitudinally of the airplane, apulley supported upon the upper one of the shafts for rotationindependently of the segment, operative connections between said pulleyand one of said units for effecting actuation of the said one of theunits upon turning of the pulley, means carried by the column forimparting rotary motion to the pulley, a gear pinion supported upon thelowermost shaft and having toothed connection with said segment, apulley supported upon the lowermost shaft and connected with the pinionto turn therewith, an operative coupling between the last mentionedpulley and another one of said units, and an op erative coupling betweenthe said member and the remaining one of the units for actuating thelatter upon the turning of the long member through the swinging of thecolumn in the longitudinally extending plane.

5. Control mechanism for an airplane as stated in claim 4, with a pairof centering springs within the housing and supported upon oppositesides of said gear segment above the top shaft, between which saidsegment is positioned, the springs engaging opposite sides of thesegment and normally functioning to maintain the segment and column inthe said upright position.

CHARLES R. JAMISON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the fileofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,308,997 Simmons July 8, 19191,348,548 De Dominicis et al. Aug. 3, 1920 1,508,591 Breguet Sept. 16,1924 1,855,988 Ranasey Apr. 26, 1932 2,166,241 DOplin-ter July 18, 1939

